Occupied Palestinian Territories in the West bank and Jordan

FELM works together with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and in the ACT Palestine Forum. The Church is active in Jordan, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

This Arabic language Church is the only Lutheran Church in the Middle East. The key activities of the Church are congregational work, education and diaconia. During the past few years the Church has also begun projects that enable self-sustainability.

Bishop Munib A. Younan, who was trained as a Theologian in Finland, has led the Church since 1998. He has relentlessly strengthened the identity of the Church, its international relations and ecumenical networks as well as been a strong advocate for peace. The Church has six congregations and high standard education programmes.

FELM supports the Church’s programmes and provides staff for congregational work, diaconia, education and other development projects.

Community Support, Capacity and Peace Building

The Lutheran Church in Ramallah supports a broad range of diaconia activities.

One FELM staff member works in the Old City of Jerusalem at the Martin Luther day Centre. The Centre is a meeting point for the elderly from the Christian and Muslim communities.

The Church runs four schools on the West Bank. The schools have 2000 students of which 60% are Muslims and 40% Christians.

The Church schools provide a high level of education for children from nursery school to high school. Christian education, international exposure and peace building are part of the curricula of the schools.

The schools are supported by the child sponsorship programme which allows for poor children to benefit of a high level of primary and secondary education. FELM supports the art and vocational training in the Beit Sahour School.